New Life
by stellaris demon
Summary: Due to her mother's new job, Katniss Everdeen is forced to live with her Uncle Haymitch in California. It's a big change from the bright lights in New York, but Katniss tries her best to accept it. Can she survive this new life, or will she surrender? (AU)


**A/N**

**Greetings fellow fanpeople. I now realize I haven't written anything. For like, centuries. Therefore, since it's summer, I must indulge in the art. Can you see the mediocre words? That's the result of not writing for the longest time. And a shitty computer. Okay. This fanfic is rated T for language (they're teenagers so why would they not curse). Forgive me if it's not clear, I'm still quite rusty. :(**

**AND WE BEGIN!**

**Discaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games. If any of you are willing to help me, I'm planning to capture Suzanne and then I'll have control over the books. Isn't it the most fabulous idea? **

**AU :)**

**KATNISS POV**

"Pack your bags, girls."

That's what I heard about six hours ago. Six hours ago, she told us we'd be moving. Away from the city lights of New York, the streets that never seem to be quiet, to California. Basically, the summer capital of everyone in the US, with the beaches, the surfer boys, the girls who _always_ wear bikinis that barely cover the needed parts, and where it's practically summer every day of the year.

I wanted to vomit.

Just the thought of being forced to live with the drunkard I have to call my uncle made me almost lose my breakfast. He's not even my uncle! He's a close family friend, who has no family. Basically, he's like an adopted relative.

Why did my mother have to accept the job offer? Why was her job in Europe? _Why couldn't she bring us_?

My only salvation in this hellhole is my sister. My precious gem, my everything. She's so innocent, so caring, so genuine. It's almost impossible not to love her.

"Katniss," my mother calls. "Yes?"

"Katniss, honey, I know you don't like your uncle Haymitch-"

"You don't say?"

"Katniss."

"Sorry."

"As I was saying, I know you don't like your uncle, but please bear with him. He's possibly your only hope here in California."

"No, that's not true. I can support Prim and I."

"And where would you live? On the streets? Katniss, I care about both of you, and I trust your uncle. So please, Katniss. I believe this is for your own good."

That made me shut up. I had no problem living on the streets, I can survive. Prim, on the other hand, she can't. She's too vulnerable. I've made it my lifetime job to protect her.

"I will," I say to my mother. She breathes out a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much, Katniss. I have to go now if I want to catch my flight." She hugs my sister and I tightly. "Be good." She kisses our foreheads then leaves.

"Well," I say, looking at the mansion in front of us. "This is our new home. We better get used to this." Prim squeals, and I don't blame her. This is the largest house I've ever seen in my life.

My sister pushes the door open and runs inside, hardly trying to contain her excitement. I groan, following her while tugging our luggage with me.

I am greeted by a bear hug from my uncle. My eyes widen. I'm surprised I don't smell alcohol. Oh, and the show of affection.

"What's going on? I don't smell vodka," I tell Uncle Haymitch. You know what? I'd rather call him Haymitch. I tell Haymitch. "I got a call two weeks ago from your mother. She said she couldn't take you with her, so she asked me to take care of you two. I heard little Primrose is coming over too, so I cleaned this place up, along with myself."

He cleans up nicely. The place is so beautiful, it's almost sparkling.

"Oh, and Katniss? Don't worry about getting a job or whatever you're planning to do. I promised your mom I'd take full responsibility, and I'm not allowing you to risk yourself. I am perfectly capable of taking care of you and your sister."

I'm fine with that, as long as Prim is happy. I know he's only nice because she's here. With me, he wouldn't mind drinking all the alcohol in California.

Haymitch takes mine and my sister's bags and carries them up the stairs. He looks back as if to say, "Well, what are you waiting for? Follow me!" So I grab Prim's hand and walk up the stairs.

*~pagebreak~*

He's standing in front of an elegant wooden door. "Katniss, this is your room. There's a bathroom inside, too, so you won't have to bicker over taking turns showering with your sister. You go ahead and get settled, your sister's room is right across yours." I nod, get my bag from him, and open the door.

My first thought is: _Wow. This is huge._

My new bedroom is practically the size of our apartment back in New York. A queen-sized bed, all for me. I guess Haymitch also paid attention to my personality because the comforter is colored green, as well as the carpet. The wardrobes and dressers are all mahogany, I think, and the walls resemble a forest landscape. This is amazing. It feels like when we were back in Kentucky, way back when I was still eleven, before we moved to New York.

After unpacking all of my clothes, I put the luggage aside and go into my bathroom.

And again, I still think it is huge. If Haymitch wasn't a close family friend, I'd feel really uncomfortable. I don't even see the need of having a big bathroom. To make it classified as a bathroom, you'd just need a sink, a medicine cabinet for your toiletries, a mirror, and a shower. This is taking it to the next level. I see a large tub that could probably fit two or three of me. Above it, there are shelves filled with every bath salt, shampoo, conditioner, and soap I could name, and then some. Of course, if I'm in a hurry, I could always use the shower.

The mirror is even taller than I am, and I am not at all short. I'm sort of above average height for my age, which is good, I guess. Beside the mirror is a towel rack, and I swear, I have never seen that many towels in my life.

I walk out of the bathroom and check the time. It's still two o'clock. I can't really do much, since I don't have any friends yet.

I go down to the living room. "Haymitch, it's still two. I can't find any ways to kill time," I complain to him. "Well," he replies. "You can always go to the beach."

"I didn't bring any swimsuits!"

"If you look at the dresser right beside your bed, you'll see some swimsuits."

*~pagebreak~*

Jesus Christ, are these even swimsuits? I rummage through the whole dresser, and all I see are bikinis. Well, there's a one-piece, but it's so revealing I don't even think it's consindered as a one-piece.. I'll have to deal with these.

I pick the least revealing one, then put on shorts and a tank top over it. I grab a beach bag from the shelves (Haymitch seems to have prepared for everything), pack sunscreen and sunglasses, slip on a pair of flip-flops and head out.

"Do you even know where the beach is?" Haymitch asks.

"I'm pretty sure I know where the beach is, Haymitch. It's about a five-minute walk from here." I reply. I'm not lying, though. While bidding my mom good-bye, I saw the beach, and it wasn't far.

"Fine. If you can't find your way home, just call me. I'll be showing your sister around town."

"Yes, sir!"

"Bye, sweetheart! And try to make friends."

"Keyword: _try,_" I tell Haymitch. I wave good-bye and start walking towards the beach.

***~pagebreak~***

My feet sink into the soft sand as the cool sea breeze brushes against me. You know what could make it more perfect?

If it was quieter.

To my right, I hear annoying high-pitched screeches cheering for a beach volleyball game. To my left, surfer guys taunting each other on who could stay steady the longest. And right in front of me, douchebags singing along to some rap.

"_I'm gonna pop some tags only got twenty dollars in my pocket!"_

I don't even understand humanity anymore. Those lyrics don't make sense! I know I'm not going to be making friends with them any time soon. Or ever.

Great. I find everyone here irritating. I sigh and walk over to the nearest stand to buy a drink.

I am greeted by a very bouncy blonde. "Hi!" she chirps. "My name's Delly, how may I help you?"

"Can I get a can of Diet Coke?"

"Sure thing!" She hands me the cold beverage. I thank her and sit down. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but are you new around town?" Delly asks me.

"Is it that obvious?"

"Well, nobody really goes to the beach alone. Don't worry. My break is coming up in five minutes, then you can join my friends and I!"

"Are you sure? You don't actually have to, you know? I think I can make friends on my own."

"Nonsense! Anyways, I have to go now. Stay right there because you're about to gain a whole lot of friends in five minutes." Delly winks at me then proceeds to take orders once again.

_Not bad for your first ten minutes on the beach, Katniss, I tell myself. Not bad at all._

***~pagebreak~***

Delly approaches me and takes my already finished can of diet soda. "I just realized, I don't even know your name! That's awkward. Typical Delly! Anyways, what's your name, since you already know mine?" Delly asks me as she throws away my can and pulls off her visor.

"It's Katniss," I tell her. She gives me a look. "Katniss? Isn't that like, a plant? And doesn't it also represent that horoscope? Sagittarius, I think."

"Yeah, it does."

"Katniss. It's a beautiful name. Now, let's go!" Delly grabs my hand and drags me to the shore.

***~pagebreak~** *

"Delly!" a voice screams. It's not high-pitched and ear-damaging, so I think I'm going to like the owner of the voice. A blonde that resembles Delly's hair color, but a lighter shade, runs towards us. "Hi! What's your name?" She barely gave me time to answer. "The name's Undersee, Madge Undersee." She smiles widely at me. She doesn't look like those annoying beach girls. Yes, she's wearing a bikini, but it looks classy on her. It's white, and it complements her hair. Jesus, Katniss, stop sounding so frivolous.

"Hi, I'm Katniss. Katniss Everdeen."

"That's a really nice name, Katniss! How did you and Delly meet?"

Delly jumps into the conversation. "I served her a can of Diet Coke. I have a feeling you guys will like her. I invited her to spend the afternoon with us. It's okay with you, right?"

"Of course it is! The more the merrier, as they say," Madge replies. These girls are really friendly. The opposite of what I am. I guess they're just what I need.

"Guys, we've got a new girl, her name's Katniss Everdeen. She comes from..." Madge looks at me. I then realize I'm supposed to finish the sentence. Duh, Everdeen! I scold myself.

"New York."

A surprised expression crosses the face of a dark-haired boy. "A city girl? Well this is interesting. What do you think of good ol' Cali? Tell the truth," he says. "Well," I start. "The beach is beautiful. I'm not particularly fond of the douches and sluts, though."

A bronze-haired boy pumps his fist, along with the dark-haired one. "We aren't, either," the bronze-haired one says. "Katniss, meet Finnick Odair," Madge says, pointing to the bronze-haired boy. "Gale Hawthorne." I assume he is the dark-haired one. "And Annie Cresta." She gestures towards a brunette who looks like she's not good around new people. Her eyes were green, and I swear, they resembled the ocean. "Hi," she greets me timidly. She isn't antisocial like I am, but she's more of the shy type. I think I'll get along with her really well.

I sat down with them. Turns out, they're very different from each other.

Finnick Odair. He's quite the ladies' man, but he's very down-to-earth and he stays humble despite his popularity. When school starts in August, he'll be the team captain of the boys' swim team. Finnick isn't fond of surfing, but he is very competitive, so if anyone challenges him, he won't say no.

Gale Hawthorne. Gale doesn't like going by the rules, so he's pretty much a rebel. He knows his limits, though, which is good. He's considered a bad boy, which explains why a number of girls fall at his feet. He feels flattered by them, but he says he isn't looking for a relationship. Gale's favorite subject is Physics, because he likes learning about how things work.

Annie Cresta. Like I said before, she's shy. She's really friendly when you get to know her, but if you're not that close, she won't say much. Like Finnick, she's team captain of the swim team, but for girls. She's an excellent swimmer, and according to Finnick himself, she's better than he is.

Delly Cartwright. She works at the stand I met her at every Saturday. She's the friendliest of the group, which explains her openness towards me. She's on the volleyball team, and sometimes she joins the beach volleyball games held on the beach. Apparently, she actually lives across from me.

Madge Undersee. Madge is pretty wealthy, since her dad is famous and all, but he's always away from home. Madge is in this dance club at school called Dance Troupe, and she's also their choreographer majority of the time. She's also a straight A student, although she's gotten in trouble for sneaking out with the group a few times. She's the friendliest person, next to Delly.

Finding out about their personalities and interests makes me feel like I've known them since birth. These guys have been really welcoming to me, and I owe them for that. Even though I hate being in debt to people, I think this is actually a good one.

"Katniss, we were wondering," Annie states (surprisingly). "Madge is having a party tonight. Come with us?" I am so shocked right now. Me? Go with them? After not even spending two hours as their friend?

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to be a menace to you guys," I tell them.

"We would never tell you all about us if we weren't planning to be your friends, you know," says Finnick.

"Come on, Katniss! My house is just two blocks from your house. It'll be fun!" Madge exclaims.

"You should go. It'll be a kick-off for the summer, according to Madge and Delly," Gale says.

"Please, Katniss?" Delly pleads.

"We won't take no for an answer," Annie smiles.

I look at all of them one by one, examining them for signs of false words. I then realize that they aren't lying. I sigh.

"You guys got me convinced. Okay," I answer.

Delly jumps from her squatting position and embraces me tightly. "Yay!" she squeals. "You're going to meet some of our other friends. They'll love you, trust me." Delly smiles at me sincerely. I laugh. "You guys are the best. I swear if I hadn't met Delly, I would be really out of place at this time." They laugh with me. "We know we're the best, and now you're one of us!" Finnick says. We share a laugh once again, then head over to our houses to get ready for Madge's party.

***~pagebreak~***

"Haymitch, can I go to a party tonight? I made friends, like you said, and they invited me." I tell him. "You sure you can survive?" He questions.

"I'm sixteen, Haymitch. I know how to handle myself. And I can confirm that there will be no underage drinking, or illegal use of drugs there."

"Fine. Like I said before, call me if you can't find your way home."

"I doubt I'll get lost. I've got a great sense of direction," I say, tapping my temple. "Thanks for letting me go, by the way."

"No problem, sweetheart. Have fun. And use protection, if _you-know-what _ever happens." I felt heat rise to my face. "Sure thing," I say meekly. I turn around and run to my room.

***~pagebreak~***

I search through my closet for appropriate clothing. Once I found the ideal outfit, I put on green sneakers, say good-bye to Haymitch, and head to Madge's house.

I can hear the party before I can even see it.

"_Tonight, we are young. So let's set the world on fire! We can burn brighter than the sun!"_

I step onto the threshold of Madge's residence. I am greeted by an excited Annie. "Katniss! You made it!"

"Of course I did! I didn't want to break a friendship I just made, right? And I said I would go!" We both laugh. "Come in!" Annie drags me through the open door.

"Katniss, there are so many people you need to meet," Annie says. "I never knew you were such a socialite, Annie." I raise an eyebrow at her. She blushes. "I've known these people since middle school, so I guess I'm pretty used to them."

*~pagebreak~*

Annie brings me to a girl that's dressed in punk clothes. "Hey, new meat! The name's Johanna Mason," she introduces. Johanna holds out her hand for me to shake, and I take it. "Katniss Everdeen," I respond. "Welcome to Cali, Kat. Can I call you Kat?"

"Please don't."

"I'll call you Kat."

Annie then brings me to Madge's pool and we sit on the poolside chairs. "I've been dying to ask you this, even if it's your first day here," she confesses. "Hit me with your best shot," I tell her. I brace myself for any embarrassing questions.

"Do you have your eye on someone, Katniss?" Annie asks me. "No," I answer truthfully.

"Are you sure?"

"One hundred percent."

"Great! I have a few people in mind for you, and they're all here!"

_This is going to be a long night._

**A/N**

**Hey guys! I hope you appreciate this, because I spent 3 days writing and I still have to wake up early for volleyball training tomorrow. It's 11 pm right now, but I stayed up writing because I love you all.**

**The outfits are on my profile by the way, so check them outtt :D**

**Estimated time before next chapter: 3-5 days :)**

**I'm sorry if that seems too long, but I'll try even 2 if it's possible! Love you! Mwah!**

**XOXO,**

** Frosty Overland**


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